1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to improvements in lighting systems. More particularly the invention relates to providing lighting around a railing or trim systems.
2. Description of the Related Art
Lighting systems are generally applied around areas of a home or building structure to provide light where there is insufficient illumination. The goal is typically to provide a safe environment. Additionally, lighting systems are used to provide a decorative or aesthetically pleasing appearance to those areas of a home or building structure. Such areas include patios, staircases, doorways, windows, or around molding or trim.
Typically such exterior lighting systems comprise simple lights hung near a door, flood lamps, or seasonal light strings placed around an area where light is desired. In an interior, such lighting systems may consist of track lighting or crudely hung seasonal light strings.
In addition, railing and trim assemblies are used in a variety of applications and may provide a functional and/or decorative feature for a house or other structure. Recently, these assemblies have been manufactured from plastics such as high-density polyurethane and other alternatives to natural wood.
In general, such assemblies have gathered attention because they provide lower maintenance and simpler installation at a lower cost than traditional wood construction. Plastic railing and trim assemblies are nearly impervious to moisture and therefore will not rot or decay like natural wood. Further, during the manufacture of these assemblies, plastic can be tinted with dyes or other materials to provide a specific color to a component, thus removing the need for surface preparation and painting prior to or subsequent to installing the trim assembly.
An example of such a railing assembly is provided in U.S. Pat. No. 6,702,259. U.S. Pat. No. 6,702,259 discloses guard rail system that includes a handrail and a top retainer that may be manufactured through an extrusion process. The hand rail is slip fitted over the top retainer in a locking relation. This handrail/retainer combination forms an integrated rail section and may be combined with other rail sections and end posts to form a safe and aesthetically appealing railing for a deck, porch, or stairs.
Current lighting systems that are applied around a railing or trim assembly typically require costly installation or may otherwise lack an appropriate aesthetic appearance. In addition, traditional lighting may not provide illumination around such features where light is ultimately desired. Furthermore, current lighting systems do not take advantage of the simple installation that is offered by modern railing or trim assemblies and have not been incorporated into the construction process of these assemblies.
Thus there is a need for a decorative lighting system that is easy to manufacture and install, and allows for installation around modern railing or trim systems.